Richard and Judy sign up for three years

Television hosts Richard and Judy have signed a multi-million pound deal to stay with Channel 4 for another three years.

The duo’s contract has been renewed until December 2007 – fending off rival bids from ITV to poach their hour-long daytime show, Channel 4 sources said.

The deal reportedly makes the husband and wife team the highest earning duo on British television.

A Channel 4 spokesman confirmed the contract with Richard and Judy’s production company Cactus TV involved a seven-figure sum but could not confirm the couple’s earnings.

Up to 2.6 million viewers tune in for Richard and Judy’s mix of features, news and chat, which is aired at 5pm every weekday.

Richard Madeley said: “We feel so at home at 5pm on Channel 4 – so it’s great we’re going to be here for another three years.

“This new commission is a testament to the whole team at Cactus who’ve worked so hard to turn this into the show we’ve always wanted to make.”

Judy Finnigan said: “We’d like to thank the viewers who support us every day by watching, phoning in, emailing and logging into the website. They certainly keep us on our toes and make sure we deliver them a show they want to keep turning on to.”

The husband and wife team joined Channel 4 in November 2001. After a rocky start, their 5pm show gained popularity, going on to secure a string of high profile guests including the first live television interview with Rebecca Loos.

Other guests have included John Leslie, Paul Burrell, Madeleine Albright and Hillary Clinton.

Richard & Judy is produced by Simon Ross, brother of television presenter Jonathan, and his wife Amanda.

Adam MacDonald, Channel 4’s head of daytime, said he was the “happiest man in London” to have secured the show for another three years.

He said: “We are enjoying a terrific working relationship with Richard and Judy and Simon and Amanda Ross at Cactus – they are a hugely impressive team. The show is on top form and our plans for the future are even more exciting.”

Amanda Ross, joint managing director of Cactus TV, said: “I’m delighted that Channel 4 has shown such faith in the show and backed us for another three years.”

Richard & Judy ‘s book club has created the top two best-selling paperbacks of the year to date. Dubbed the “Richard and Judy effect”, the couple’s golden touch has been compared to the “Oprah effect” in the US.